Blue Jays Make Trade with Cleveland Guardians

 

Photo From New York Times

Ross Atkins has been busy tonight. After signing Yimi García, he pulled off a surprising trade, as Toronto acquired second baseman Andrés Giménez and pitcher Nick Sandlin. In return, Toronto sent Spencer Horwitz to the Cleveland Guardians, who later traded Horwitz to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Horwitz had been becoming a fan favourite, and it’s easy to see why. In 97 games, he managed a .265 batting average with 87 hits, 12 home runs, and 40 RBIs. With Giménez, Toronto gets a three-time Gold Glove winner at second base and a Platinum Glove recipient. Offensively, Giménez did struggle last season, hitting .252 with nine home runs and 63 RBIs. However, his exceptional defensive skills more than makeup for his offensive numbers. Additionally, Giménez had a .298 on-base percentage and stole 30 bases last season—an area where the Jays desperately needed improvement.

With Giménez under team control for the next five seasons, he’s likely to become Toronto’s everyday second baseman, though he can also play shortstop. This versatility is especially valuable given the uncertainty surrounding Bo Bichette. If Bichette leaves next December, Giménez could seamlessly transition to shortstop.

Photo From Sports Illustrated

As for reliever Nick Sandlin, he has posted a solid record over four seasons with Cleveland, going 19-8 with a 3.27 ERA as a middle reliever. Last season, Sandlin went 8-0 coming out of the bullpen. Addressing the bullpen was a priority for the Blue Jays, and they’ve done just that with this acquisition. Additionally, Sandlin will now work with pitching coach Pete Walker, who has a proven track record of turning pitchers—both starters and relievers—into consistent performers.

One additional note on Giménez: he could either take the leadoff spot in the batting order, replacing George Springer, or bat ninth. With Horwitz’s departure, there’s now an opening in the designated hitter spot. It’s likely the team will add another bat, and several names have been linked to the Blue Jays. Rumours suggest Toronto is in discussions with Anthony Santander of the Baltimore Orioles, who hit 44 home runs with 102 RBIs last season. There’s also talk of a potential reunion with Teoscar Hernández.

We’ll see what happens next for the Toronto Blue Jays. Thanks, as always, for reading.